The introduced downtown facility and soccer field house facility bylaw was rather controversial among councillors during Monday’s meeting.

Coun. Brian Swanson proposed several amendments to the bylaw. Firstly he made a motion to add a section to activities of the corporation so the corporation must improve facilities for the purpose of “minimizing any operating grant or subsidy from the City of Moose Jaw.”

“There’s a projected $400,000 surplus and as the background to this document states, the facility is not allowed to distribute any surplus funds to the city,” said Swanson. “For two years in a row now this facility has been given hundreds of hundreds of thousands of dollars more than they need to operate … (and) all the extra money that went to the facility we can’t get it back to the city where the money comes from.”

That amendment was carried. Further, Swanson moved an amendment to the directors’ section. It originally said the board of directors would consist of eight people, three council members, four community members who don’t need to be from Moose Jaw and the director of parks and recreation. Swanson proposed amendment would delete the words “eight persons as follows” and add a minimum of three and up to six council members.

“It would provide an opportunity for any members of council who wish to be on the board be on the board,” said Swanson. “I feel that that would be an appropriate consideration.”